Building facade components in a historical corridor. Case study: Karet Street, Surabaya

Abstract

Today’s cities are developing at a breakneck pace, resulting in physical modifications to buildings. This growth can also be witnessed in the presence of new structures designed to house city-related operations. This research was conducted in the corridor area of Surabaya’s Karet Street, a historical district. Numerous historical structures may be seen along Karet Street, including surviving colonial and Chinese-style structures. Historically, this Karet Street corridor region served as a commerce hub due to its proximity to the Kali Mas (Mas River) trade route. However, as the era progressed, the buildings in the corridor of Karet Street became abandoned, many were neglected, and other structures were added, resulting in inconsistency between buildings. Thus, this research aimed to characterize the building facade components along the Karet Street corridor. The research technique used was descriptive qualitative research. Sixty-two structures along the Karet Street corridor comprise the sampled area. The factors consisted of the building’s door/entrance, windows, walls, roof, and the stylef the building—a qualitative descriptive analysis based on the state of the building’s facade in the field. Direct observation, existing literature, and documentation were employed to obtain data. The study’s findings revealed inconsistencies in the building’s exterior components, particularly in the structure’s modern style. In an area that contains colonial and Chinese-style buildings, this contradiction might undermine the area’s historical assets. Additionally, modifications and damage to facade components might obliterate the authenticity of existing historical value.